John 6:12 When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted.”

As Jesus walks with his disciples and tries to lead them into Life and the infinite, he throws in some very practical guidance; don’t waste. We realize that Jesus is a miracle worker, so it’s not a matter of dietary necessity that He says this; it’s advice. And given He is always trying to reveal The Father to us, we can guess that this advice is about more than simply leaving food on the ground. 

In my life, I have experienced many lessons about the benefits of not being wasteful. However, there is one that changed my heart: embracing the simplicity, contentment, and gratitude that comes from the ‘waste-not’ root. 

Just like our simple, sweet-abiding in our Heavenly Father, not being wasteful leads us into a simple, sweet contentment in His provision. When we don’t waste, we don’t want. We acknowledge the gifts He has given us as Good and plentiful… we embrace a level of simplicity that seems to be signature in His Kingdom. Praise God. He keeps it simple!